If you’re underutilized as a paralegal, what can you do to change that? Sheila Grela provides answers to that question in her latest article!

In her article on the NALA site (Underutilized as a Paralegal? Here’s How to Change That: Artificial Intelligence Best Practices, available here), Sheila asks: “How can paralegals advocate for better work assignments? How can they be used in a way that maximizes their skills, furthers their careers, and adds value to their work?”

The answer? “The best and most obvious solution is that underutilized paralegals need to embrace legal technology. Learning or advancing your legal technology abilities enables you to handle complex cases more efficiently. This saves time and money for your employer and increases team confidence in your abilities. Start by becoming an expert with the programs your firm uses or plans to use.”

Sheila also discusses four categories of ways to increase the value of paralegals. Here’s one of them:

Know what arguments to use when asking for help in developing your skills. Two examples:

• Tailor your request for training to the work you perform.
• Keep the presentation simple: Why? How will the firm/client benefit? Be prepared with a budget of both time and money. Remember to include the long-term benefits.

So, what are the other three categories? And what are three concepts you need to address to increase your knowledge of business acumen? Find out here, it’s only one click! As Sheila notes, quoting Teddy Roosevelt: “Complaining about a problem without posing a solution is called whining.” See what she did there? 😉

So, what do you think? Do you feel you’re underutilized as a paralegal? Then, read Sheila’s article! Please share any comments you might have or if you’d like to know more about a particular topic.

Image created using GPT-4’s Image Creator Powered by DALL-E, using the term “robot paralegal twiddling their thumbs”.

Disclaimer: The views represented herein are exclusively the views of the author, and do not necessarily represent the views held by my employer, my partners or my clients. eDiscovery Today is made available solely for educational purposes to provide general information about general eDiscovery principles and not to provide specific legal advice applicable to any particular circumstance. eDiscovery Today should not be used as a substitute for competent legal advice from a lawyer you have retained and who has agreed to represent you.